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TEAM EAFC2005 & EAFF WOMEN'S CUP 2005 TOP
Japan (Japan Football Association)
FIFA ranking : 12 (as of 2005, May)
Association Established :
1921
FIFA Member Since :
1929
Coach :
OHASHI Hiroshi
Team Introduction
JFA President, Saburo Kawabuchi, maintains that "Japanese football will not improve without the improvement of women's football." The result of JFA's active promotion of women's football has been evident in recent achievements. Japan's side defeated the powerful DPR Korea 3-0 in the April, 2004, Asian Women's Championship semifinal, gaining a place in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In Athens, they continued charging through to the quarterfinals after beating Sweden 1-0, and almost upset USA by losing only by a narrow 1-2 margin. USA went on to win the gold medal.
Under the new leadership of head coach Koji O-hashi, who has extensive international experience including a coaching career in Singapore, Japan has made a fresh start with friendlies against Chinese Taipei and New Zealand as well as a tour to Australia and Russia. Selected to the national A-team was 16-year-old Rumi Utsugi, member of the 2005 U-17 Asian Women's champion team (April)-proof that Japan is on a constant look-out to raise their level of football. Widely known as "Nadeshiko Japan," the women's team has unlimited potential. It will be interesting to see how head coach O-hashi's "compact football throughout the offensive and defensive lines" will play out in this tournament.
Past Results of Contending Teams (2000.1~2005.6 International A Match)
VS. China PR
2000.6.4  Sydney (Australia)  [Pacific Cup]
China PR 2 - 0 Japan
2001.8.5  Gangreung (Korea Republic)  [Tiger Pools Toto Women's Cup]
Japan 2 - 2 Korea Republic
2001.9.9  Chicago (USA)  [Nike Cup]
China PR 3 - 0 Japan
2002.8.29  Wuhan (China PR)  [Far East Four-Nation Women's Soccer Tournament]
China PR 4 - 0 Japan
2002.9.10  Changwon (Korea Republic)  [Asian Games Korea Republic]
China PR 2 - 2 Japan
2004.4.26  Hiroshima (Japan)  [Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2004 Prel. Comp. AFC]
Japan 0 - 1 China PR
VS. Korea DPR
2001.12.10  Taipei (Chinese Taipei)  [Asian Women's Championship]
Korea DPR 1 - 0 Japan
2001.12.16  Kaohsiung (Chinese Taipei)  [Asian Women's Championship]
Japan 0 - 2 Korea DPR
2002.10.2  Busan (Korea Republic)  [Asian Games]
Japan 0 - 1 Korea DPR
2003.6.19  Bangkok (Thailand)  [FIFA WWC 2003 Prel. Comp. AFC]
Korea DPR 3 - 0 Japan
2004.4.24  Tokyo (Japan)  [Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2004 Prel. Comp. AFC]
Korea DPR 0 - 3 Japan
VS. Korea Republic
2001.8.3  Ulsan (Korea Repulic)  [Tiger Pools Toto Women's Cup]
Korea Republic 1 - 1 Japan
2001.12.14  Kaohsiung (Chinese Taipei)  [Asian Women's Championship]
Korea Republic 1 - 2 Japan
2002.8.31  Wuhan (China PR)  [Far East Four-Nation Women's Soccer Tournament]
Japan 0 - 0 Korea Republic
2002.10.7  Masan (Korea Republic)  [Asian Games]
Korea Republic 0 - 1 Japan
2003.6.21  Bangkok (Thailand)  [FIFA WWC 2003 Prel. Comp. AFC]
Japan 0 - 1 Korea Republic
2003.7.22  Sendai (Japan)  [Three-Nations International Women's Tournament]
Korea Republic 0 - 5 Japan
EAFC2005 & EAFF WOMEN'S CUP 2005 TOP
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